Just then, Josh stepped into the break room, catching the tail end of the conversation and pausing in surprise.


    He and Coy had always believed Charlene would never be content to leave thepany. They thought she would seize any opportunity to stay. When Sunny, Charlene''s recement, showed up for work the day before, they half-expected Charlene to make a move. After all, Sunny was beautiful.


    How could Charlene befortable leaving someone like Sunny around Thorne?


    But over the past few days, Charlene hadn''t just epted Sunny, she''d actually started getting along with her pretty well. And she was even passing on her coffee-making secrets to Sunny. What on earth was going on?


    Josh couldn''t figure it out, and Charlene wasn''t giving anything away.


    She diligentlypleted her work and declined Sunny''s dinner invitation, nning instead to head home for a quick meal before diving back into her research on Al.


    No sooner had she left the office than her phone rang.


    It was Jasmine. "Mommy, are you off work?"


    Charlene got into her car and asked, "Yeah. What''s up?"


    Jasmine said, "I want mac and cheese and chicken noodle soup. Could you make some for me?"


    Charlene paused. She and Thorne hadn''t officially divorced yet. And Thorne hadn''t asked her to move out. She was heading home to cook dinner for her daughter, confident Thorne wouldn''t object.


    But she was tired and had her ns. Jasmine was her responsibility, but Charlene had her life, too. She wouldn''t sacrifice her time unconditionally for her anymore.


    She said, "Mom''s got something on today, sweetheart. Next time, okay?"


    Charlene had always put Thorne and Jasmine first before. She hardly ever said no to them. Yet Charlene had refused twice in one day. Not picking up on this shift, Jasmine thought Charlene was genuinely busy. But, ustomed to being Charlene''s priority, Jasmine wasn''t used to being refused like this.


    Feeling slightly aggrieved, she said, "Mommy, why are you always so busytely? I don''t care. I want mac and cheese, and I want that soup!"


    "Minnie..." Charlene felt a headacheing on.


    Jasmine huffed and hung up the phone in a fit of pique.


    While sitting in her car, Charlene''s eyes reddened. She covered her eyes, remained silent, and drove off.


    Upon arriving home, she settled for pasta. As herputer booted up, Stewart called, "There''s a ging up in a few days. Do you want to join me? I want to introduce you to some people." "Sure."


    Stewart asked again, "When can you wrap things up on your end?"


    "Soon. In the next few days, I guess."


    "Great."


    Meanwhile, Jasmine had expected Charlene to rush home to indulge her and cook her meal. But she waited and waited. Over an hour passed, nearing eight in the evening, and Charlene was still not back. Worried Jasmine might be starving, the housekeeper suggested, "Since your mom''s busy, why not have a little something now? We can wait for your mom to cookter..."


    "I don''t want to!" Jasmine pouted, feeling genuinely aggrieved as Charlene hadn''t returned or called. The housekeeper''s suggestion brought her to tears, "I just want what Mommy makes-" "But-"


    Believing Charlene was really tied up, the housekeeper, left with no other choice, decided to call Thorne. It took a moment for Thorne to pick up the phone. "What''s happening?" he asked. The housekeeper exined everything in detail.


    "Hand her the phone," Thorne instructed.


    Taking the phone, Jasmine sobbed, "Daddy..."


    "Eat


    your


    dinner."


    Through her tears, Jasmine stubbornly remained silent.


    Thorne didn''t say anything else. Jasmine''s cries grew louder.


    Thorne''s tone was calm as he continued, "I''ll take you out this weekend. You pick the ce."


    The sniffling stopped, "Really?"


    "Yes. Now, go and have your dinner."


    "Have you eaten, Dad?"


    ""At a business dinner."


    "Oh..."


    "Go eat."


    "Okay." Jasmine pouted but felt better, hanging up and obediently going downstairs to eat.


    After hanging up. Thorne returned to his private dining room, where someone teased, "Mr. Henderson''s phone sure rings a lot."


    Thorne sipped his drink, replying, "I had to coax my daughter into eating. She was throwing a tantrum."